Preparation of novel nanostructured WO3/CuMnO2 p-n heterojunction nanocomposite for photoelectrochemical detection of nitrofurazone

Herein this research, a visible light active tungsten oxide/copper manganate (WO3/CuMnO2) p-n heterojunction nanocomposite was prepared and has been applied for a signal on photoelectrochemical sensing of antibiotic nitrofurazone (NFZ). Firstly, the n-WO3 nanotiles were synthesized from the cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) assisted hydrothermal method and the p-CuMnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by using the ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method. The photoelectrochemical NFZ sensing performance of WO3/CuMnO2 nanocomposite was 1.9 times higher than that of as-synthesized pure WO3 nanotiles. The resulting higher photoelectrochemical performance of the nanocomposite is due to more visible light absorption ability and synergy from p-n heterojunction formation. The designed WO3/CuMnO2 nanocomposite sensor gives satisfactory photocurrent signals for the detection of NFZ in the range of 0.015–32 μM with the detection limit (LOD) of 1.19 nM. The practical applicability of the nanocomposite sensor was monitored in pork liver and tap water samples.